E. Ignorance of Christianity    To conclude the analysis of this website, it is necessary to emphasize the lack of understanding of Christian teachings that is one of its most distinguishing characteristics. For example, towards the end of the section "Hitler compared to God/Jesus/Christians," Mr. Walker makes this statement: "...any conscious human who has the neurological makeup that maps into a belief in God and Jesus, determines his ownership [sic] into this belief system."    Mr. Walker has no evidence for this non-falsifiable and empirically unverifiable faith statement. Moreover, his foundationless faith in materialism eliminates human will and responsibility. People believe in God because of their neurological makeup, atheists reject God because of their neurological makeup, and Hitler wanted to exterminate the Jews because of his neurological makeup.    This also eliminates ethics. We cannot say that what Hitler did was wrong, if he was just following his physical makeup - anyway, we are just following ours in condemning him. Whatever is, is, and it is the result of materialistic factors over which we have no control.    Perhaps Mr. Walker believes that his opinions are the result of logic and reason, and it is only people who differ too much from him that are the victims of defective neurological systems. This would truly make him him a superior sort of being - if it were true, that is. Maybe on the other hand he would admit that his beliefs too were materialistically determined, and hence no more valid or invalid than those of the most primitive backwoods fundamentalist.    Given his materialistic presuppositions, it is inevitable that Mr. Walker should have no understanding of or sympathy for the most fundamental aspects of biblical Christianity. The sure conviction by faith that we will stand before God someday and give an account for our lives, for all we have said, thought, and done; the belief that God in mercy has forgiven us and cleansed us of our sins; the desire to follow God's commandments out of love for Christ; the receiving of the Holy Spirit and the direct experience of God in the soul; the desire to treat others like we would want them to treat us - these and other things are totally incomprehensible to Mr. Walker, and he looks on them with fear and contempt. This is not the result of Mr. Walker's neurology. It is the result of a fallen human will that has been corrupted by sin.     Before looking at some of Mr. Walker's specific statements about Christianity, it might be helpful to state some things that Christianity is not. ~ It is not a belief that might makes right, that the basic law of life is struggle. ~ Preservation of racial purity is not the highest law, and race defilement is not the original sin. ~ The blood that a man sheds fighting for his land is not the holiest sacrifice. ~ The Germans are not the chosen people of Providence (or Fate, Destiny, the Almighty, the Supreme Watchamacallit, God, or whatever). ~ It is not the belief that one race is superior to all others. ~ The purpose of government is not to preserve the racial purity of the nation - it is to restrain and punish evildoers. ~ Happiness and meaning in life is not found through unswerving allegiance to someone besides Jesus. ~ Higher ethical ideals and religious or philosophical concepts are not mere inventions of the human mind. ~ Man did not raise himself up above the animals by his own efforts. ~ The good things that we enjoy in life are not the result of our intelligence and efforts alone. ~ God is not an abstract force indifferent to individual love, holiness, sin, and suffering.     Much more could be said along these lines, but the point has been made. What, though, are some of Mr. Walker's specific doctrinal confusions that lead him to present such a false picture of Christianity? Here are some of his own statements. Speaking specifically with reference to Hitler, he says:     ...he clearly reveals his Christianity...from his confession as a Christian, his triune god-like actions and how his faith parallels the belief of many Christians today. How else can an individual convey to another his religion except by their own confession? Belief in Jesus serves as the only [italics in original] requirement for membership into the Christian community...One need only have faith in Jesus for its [sic] justification [Galatians 2:16 is quoted in this context] ...at no time did Hitler criticize God or Jesus. He always maintained an honor and belief in Jesus. This alone put him [sic] as a Christian believer. Even acknowledging Hitler's most atrocious acts as sinful cannot exclude him from Christianity. Tenets of Christian belief allege that all people sin and only redemption through faith in Jesus Christ can absolve them. A Christian, therefore, can never use sin alone, regardless of how horrible or atrocious, as an argument against Hitler. Clearly, Hitler's own words reveal his Christian faith, and Christians must, by their own tenant [sic] and upheld by their bible, not to judge others [sic]. ...the Christian use of the doctrine of sin prevents any meaningful argument against ousting one's claimed Christianhood, regardless of how atrocious the crime. According to Christian interpretation, ever since Adam's fall, all humans live in a 'state of corruption.' Thus all people, including all Christians commit sin. No one in Christian theology makes the claim that Christians subsist in levels of degrees of Christianity depending on how sinless or sinful one lives...Belief alone determines ones Christianity, not how one acts.    Mr. Walker pursues the following line of reasoning: Being a Christian is not a matter of deeds, it is a matter of faith in Christ alone. This faith is determined solely by verbal profession, not by actions. Sinful acts do not prove someone was not a Christian, since all humans live in corruption, all Christians sin, and there are no degrees of sin - sin is sin.    It is added that Hitler was accepted as a Christian by his contemporaries. This is supported by a quote from one Cardinal Faulhaber of Munich, who is quoted as having said "Without doubt the chancellor lives in faith in God. He recognizes Christianity as the foundation of Western culture." This does not specifically say "Hitler was a Christian," since one can have faith in God of some sort without believing in Christ as the Son of God, and one can also recognize Christianity as being fundamental to Western culture without looking to Christ's blood shed on the cross for forgiveness of sins.    Finally, Mr. Walker asks a very profound question: "If you cannot take the word of Hitler's own words [sic] in his claim of Christianity, or contemporary Christian believers, or bishops, or cardinals or Popes, then what other Christian authority could you possibly turn to?" This gets close to the heart of the matter. How can we know if Hitler was a Christian or not? How can we even be sure that we are Christians? Jesus himself said that there will be those who have done great works in his name that will be turned away on the day of judgement. How do we know we truly are in Christ, that our faith is real?    To answer these and related questions, it might first be useful to see what the bible says about men like Hitler. Having done that, we can examine briefly Mr. Walker's numerous misconceptions. Here are some nouns and adjectives from Romans that describe Hitler and the Nazis well: ... vain in their imaginations...their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools...filled with all unrighteousness...wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness... murder...deceit ...proud, boasters, inventors of evil things...Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful...worthy of death... Has anyone ever written a more concise description of the Nazis than this? More apt nouns and adjectives from other books of the New Testament are: uncleanness...hatred...wrath...murders...drunkenness...desirous of vainglory...having the understanding darkened...blinded hearts...corrupt communications...bitterness... wrath...anger...malice...spoiled by philosophy and vain deceit...ungodly...unholy... manslayers...menstealers...liars...men of corrupt minds destitute of the truth... A passage from II Timothy is particularly appropriate: ...in the last days perilous times shall come.    For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,    Without natural affection, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,    Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;    Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away...they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men... No one was more boastful and proud than Hitler. He coveted more and more territory, more and more power; he broke countless agreements; he was fierce, lacking in natural affection, a false accuser - and he had a form of godliness. He used god-words on occasion and claimed to be sent by God - this rhetoric (whether he actually believed it or not) was useful to him politically. But, lacking the real power of godliness as manifested in a genuinely spiritual life he was a false prophet. Finally, his folly was manifest unto all, so that today no sensible person believes his ridiculous and contemptible philosophy. Even his own followers were persuaded of Hitler's folly by the debating tactics of the armed forces of England, America, and Russia.    In the verses above we have an answer to the question asked by Mr. Walker: "If you cannot take the word of Hitler's own words [sic] in his claim of Christianity, or contemporary Christian believers, or bishops, or cardinals or Popes, then what other Christian authority could you possibly turn to?" The Christian authority that we can turn to is the word of God. Admittedly, some parts of it are obscure. Admittedly, Christians disagree on some points. Nevertheless, in discussing not theological obscurities such as predestination or end-times prophecies, but rather the question of Hitler's beliefs and actions, the bible gives us a clear answer.    Jesus said that "...the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation" (John 5:28-29).When the dead are called up out of the grave to stand before the throne of God and be judged, the fact that Hitler "said something positive about Jesus" or "never criticized Jesus" will not help him. Belief in Christianity involves much more than such nebulous and meaningless criteria.    By such absurdly reductive standards, Hindus, Buddhists, Jews, Moslems, and agnostics could also be called "Christians." Ghandi also said "something positive" about Jesus and as far as I know never criticized him. That Hitler had a Catholic education as a boy, or that he claimed to be a Christian once or twice in his adult life, or that he insincerely promised to support the German church - these will not earn him eternal life or forgiveness of sins.    For those with a clear understanding of biblical doctrines, it is not hard to determine the nature of Hitler and his new gospel of blood, soil, and race. Hitler's occasional use of religious language was confusing to many, and it still confuses people today - but we have already seen the teaching that murderers will not inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:21 and Revelation 21:8). This alone is sufficient to burn through the fog of Hitler's rhetoric and to answer the question of Hitler's faith once and for all.    We have also examined some passages that exclude Hitler from Christianity as the bible defines it. The wisdom that is from above is "peaceable, gentle...full of mercy and good fruits," while earthly wisdom is "devilish," bringing "strife...and every evil work" (James 3:15-17). The works of the flesh, of the natural man without the spirit of Christ, include hatred, wrath, strife, and murder, while the fruits of the Spirit of Christ include love, joy, peace, gentleness, and goodness (Galatians 5;20-22). There is no doubt among reasonable people where Hitler fits here.    Mr. Walker, however, argues that Hitler was a Christian. What can be said about his arguments? To begin with, it is clear from many scriptures that faith in Christ is faith in Christ as the Son of God who died for us and rose again. It is not faith in a figment of the human imagination whose blood cannot cleanse from sin and whose spirit can't give life. Hitler never referred to or professed faith in the Christ of scripture. His Christ was a Christ of human philosophy, a Christ that did not bring righteousness and forgiveness of sin. In short, Hitler's few and rare statements about Christ refer to a false Christ.    Secondly, saving faith in Christ is not just some words about Christ. It leads to the receiving of the Holy Spirit - "God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts" - and this Spirit works within us and produces fruit unto holiness. Those who have the Spirit are the children of God - and their saving faith includes a way of living in the world: "The just shall live by faith."    Thirdly, Christians have been redeemed from the power of sin. Sin can hinder them, trouble them, vex them, but if they are Christ's they will be led of the Spirit. Moreover, if they are in Christ, their sins are covered, and will not be held against them. As it says in Romans, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (8:1).    Some Christians object to the last part of this verse, as if it made our acceptance by God conditional on our performance. They also must object to 8:4 ("That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit") and 8:13-14 ("if you through the spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, you shall live. For as many as are led by the spirit of God, they are the sons of God"). Perhaps they think it is possible to receive the Holy Spirit in such a way as to leave the heart and mind untouched, the same as it was before. But, none of this has anything to do with Hitler.    Finally, Mr. Walker thinks that sin is sin, we all sin, so therefore one sin is just as bad as any other. Does this mean that someone who steals a box of pencils from the company supply room is as bad as someone who murders six million people? This has nothing to do with biblical Christianity. The bible clearly lays down standards, stating that wicked people who claim to be Christians should be put out of the church. If someone claims to be a Christian but is a fornicator, a drunkard, an extortioner, or a railer other Christians should not keep company with him, or even eat with him. As it says, "Put away from among yourselves that wicked person" (I Corinthians 5:13). The idea of a Christian being a mass murderer is not even considered here. A railer is someone who merely attacks people verbally in an evil and hostile way. Jesus even said that someone who got angry with his brother for no reason or said to him "You fool" was in danger of hell fire (Matthew 5:22).    Hitler was not only a murderer and a liar, he was also a fornicator, living with a woman outside of marriage. Nowhere does the bible say or imply that someone who says a few words about Jesus once in a while is guaranteed of a place in heaven no matter what. Even if Hitler had plainly expressed a doctrinally sound faith in Christ - which he never did - God judges by the heart. He desires a true confession, not a false one. He desires faith and love in the heart, not just some words that are not even sincere.    Also, belief in Jesus includes a desire to please him and keep his commandments. If we truly believe that Jesus came into the world, died, and rose for us; if we truly believe that we will come before him someday and give account to him; if we know his Spirit and his love - then we want to obey and serve him. We will err, we will make mistakes, but it is not hard for God to tell the difference between someone who wants to please him and makes natural human mistakes on the one hand, and someone who couldn't care less on the other.    Any teacher can tell the difference between a student that is trying sincerely and makes ordinary mistakes, and someone who isn't trying and has no interest. Then there is a third kind of student, that physically assaults the teacher and tries to burn the school down.    Mr. Walker - and many Christians - think that saving faith is just a matter of some words about Jesus and some notions in the head that have nothing to do with how we live. The biblical description of saving faith, however, includes love for God ("faith which works by love") and a desire to please him - not to earn salvation, but as a natural result of having been saved. And where did Hitler ever evidence the slightest desire to follow the teachings of Jesus? To do unto others as he would have others do to him? To love God with all of his heart and soul and mind and his neighbor as himself? To be a peacemaker, to be pure in heart, to be righteous and holy? When Mr. Walker asserts that Hitler took Jesus to heart and honored Jesus, we can only conclude that he has either never read the Sermon on the Mount at all, or that he has read it with no comprehension whatever, or that he has read it with some comprehension but is willfully misrepresenting Christian teaching.